Control mechanism for liquid dispensing apparatus



.Oct. 27, 1942. c. P GRIFFITH CONTROL MECHANISM FOR LIQUID DISPENSINGAPPARATUS Fild May 1'7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l 91 29 73 93 Q 67 qy- ,w

3 1s as o o 4 Clam! R kW ATTORNEY.

7 1942- c. P. GRIFFITH CONTROL MECHANISM FOR LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUSFiled May 17, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 27, 1942 I I h VUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR, LIQUID DISPENSINGAPPARATUS Clement P. Griffith, Fort; Wayne, Ina, assignor to S. F.Bowser &,Company, Incorpo1-ated, Fort ayne, Ind., a corporation'ofIndiana Application May 17', 1939,Seria;l'No. 274,163

'11 Claims. (c1. 221-95) This invention relatesto a mechanism used toreel with the removable flange portion removed. control the operation ofa filling station liquid Referring now to Figure 1, numeral Irepredispensing apparatus. More specifically, the insehtsa [frame towhich is attached supporting vention relates to a motor controlmechanism p esj d. 5, l e' S 1 d a housing 9- which is operated to startand stop the dispensing 5 Plate-t supports apump l I an air separator l3pump as an incident to movements of the disndahme reel l5. Amotor Hisbeltedto pump pensing hose as it is removed from or returned 'deentl'olled by 81 Switch f y desired to a hose storage device. l vaporproof construction.

Oneof the objects of thelinventionis to pro- The upp r pl te suppo s ameter 21 and duce a controlmechanism which will start or stop registers23, and piping connec s e liquid port the dispensing apparatus at onceupon the initial 0f the air Separator 3 in Se e W h t e mete movement ofhose. v 2|; a sight glass 25, and the hose reel l5 which Another objectof the invention is to produce is Provided wi h a Sp l6 adap e to tate acontrol mechanism which will automatically the r lja W nd unthe hos whenthe op t r stop the operation of the apparatus when the ceases tP1111011 the hOSe- The dispensing hOee hose is elea d, i l 21 isconnectedto the reel at one end and at its Still another object of theinvention. is to proother end a a nozzle 29 0f the usual typevide acontrol mechani m hi h n not start The hose is positioned in properrelation tothe the apparatus, regardless of hose movements, reel byrolls 1. Figure '1 shows the hose screwed til th register has been reseti in place in the reel. A portion of the one flange Yet another objectof the invention is to proof r islmede removable from e u of vide acontrol mechanism which will yield t t reel-S0 that access m be had tothe hose undu tr s ith t breaking coupling by which the hose isconnected to the Yet another object f'th invention is fluid passage inthe reel hub. The removable vide a separable hose storage device towhich the flange porticn is held in place on the reel by hose may bereadily mounted. capscrews which are received in threaded holes Afurther object of the invention is to provide formed in e reel hub v acontrol mechanismwhich is inexpensive and l A bracket h in Figures 1 and4, M- which can be easily and quicklyinstane I tached to the reel byscrew fastenings which ex- Still another object of the invention is toprotend through holes and the bracket has fixed ducea control mechanism,the operation of which centrally therein, spindle The latter f isregulated by the reset interlock mechanism. ment is provided with a Pin37 adapted enter ()ther objects 111 beeome apparent from a a hole in thebracket and to be welded in place study of the specificationinconnection with the therein; a flange a j u portion 4| about drawingswhich are made a part "hereof and in which a lever 43 is rotatab a aeduced hi h; V threaded stem 45,. which is adapted toreceive a Figure lis a front elevation, partially broken castellated nut 41. A hole49 isprovided through away, showingone type of concealed hose disthe stem 45and is adapted toreceive a cotter pensing apparatus with the controlmechanism 40 p Wh h se vee o e d the nu against turning. app1ied l a 7One Or more" friction elements 5| are confined Figure 2 is a sideelevation of the mechanism between the lever 43 and a washer 53 which isill of Figure 1 viewed from the right of Figure 1. held in place by nut41. Adjustment of the nut Figure 3 is an elevation of the interlockingon stem 45 regulates thefamountof dragapplied mechanism with certain.parts broken away. 45 to the lover. I 1

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the A shaft. 55, (Figures 1, 2and 5) is mounted at friction mechanism used to actuate themotor itsends forlrotation in bearingssupported on the switch. i i frame. Iandhas fixedto it two levers ftl and '59, Figure 5 is'aperspective viewshowingthelinke. which rotate with the shaft. A link BI isproageutilized to connect the various elements in-. vided with ends'bent at ninety degrees to its volved. a 1 axis, and these ends arereceived in holes in the Figure 6 is an enlarged View of the upperporlevers 43 and 51. respectively. The link maybe tion-of thevlinkage'shown in Figure 5. held in place byv any suitable means such as byFigure l i w of the separable'hose cotter pins insertedin holes .inthebent ends.

A control lever 93 is pivoted at one end on a member 65 fixed to theframe I, while its other end projects through an opening in the housing9. An L-shaped lever 61 is pivotally mounted on the projecting end ofthe lever 63. One arm 99 of lever 91 extends in the direction of lever63 while the other arm 1I extends upwardly substantially at right anglesthereto to cooperate with a fixed lug 13. When the lever 51 15 in itsfarthest clockwise position as shown in Figure 1, the lug 13 and arm Hare in alignment and prevent counter-clockwise rotation of lever 53;however, when the lever 51 is rotated to its farthest counter-clockwiseposition, the arm II will clear lug 13 and lever 63 may be rotat'e'd ina counter-clockwise direction (Figures 1 and 5).

When the nozzle is on the lever 69, the projection which is a part oflever 63 and projects through a slot in lever 69, prevents operation ofthe nozzle trigger in a well known manner; and also, the lever 61 isprevented from rotating far enough in the counter-clockwise direction todisalign lever H and lug 13. The lever '99 thus serves two purposes,namely, to support the nozzle and to provide a control for moving lever1I into and out of alignment with the lug 13'.

An element 11 is pivotally'mounted upon the lever 53 adjacent thesupport member 65, and is provided with a seeker 19 and a cam 8|. Theseeker is adapted to enter into notches 83 and 85 which are formed indiscs 81 and 89 respectively.

The disc 89 is connected to be rotated by the shaft 9| which is rotatedin a clockwise direction (Figure 3) by crank 92 while the registers 3are being reset to zero position before a dispensing operation is begun.Motion is transmitted from disc 89 to disc 81 by means of a spring 93which has one end attached to a pin 95 in disc 89 and its other endattached to a pin 91 fixed in disc 81. Pin 95 rides in a slot 95 in disc81 to limit the relative rotation of the discs.

A pawl 99 is pivoted on the fixed member 95 and is adapted to engage theperiphery of disc 91 and to engage a notch IIlI therein to preventrotation of the disc in a counter-clockwise dir'ection beyond apredetermined position. The lower end I93 of the pawl is adapted toengage the inclined edge I95 of the cam 8I and to be rotated thereby outof engagement with disc 81 when the cam is raised.

A clevis I91 is pivotally mounted on lever 63 between the elements 61and 11 and depends therefrom. A sleeve I09 which opens downwardly isscrewed into the clevis and held in adjusted position by a lock nut III.

The sleeve is adapted to slidingly receive the upper end of a push rodII3 which is connected to the free end of lever 59 to form a lost motionconnection between lever 53 and the connecting linkage described above.A lug H5 is formed on the push rod and a clevis H1 is pivotally mountedon said lug. A switch operating rod H9 is screwed into the clevis H1 andheld in place by a nut, and at its lower end is connected to operate thearm I of'switch I9, heretofore described. A spring I2I is fixed with itsupper end on the support 65 and its lower end on the upper portion ofsleeve I99.

The lug I5 on rod H3 is so placed that it will engage the lower end ofsleeve I09 before the upper end of the rod will contact the upper end ofthe opening in the sleeve.

Operation In starting the dispensing operation it is necessary to rotatethe reset crank to free the control lever for operation. Until the crankis operated, the seeker 19 will ride against the peripheries of discs 81and 89 and the lever 63 will accordingly be held down.

When the crank 92 and shaft 9| are rotated, both discs will turn in aclockwise direction (Figure 3) until notch IUI engages pawl 99,whereupon disc 81 will be held against reverse motion with notch 83 inalignment with seeker 19. Reverse rotation of the crank and shaft 9Iserves to move disc 89 relative to disc 81, increasing the tension ofthe spring 93, and pin 95 will move to the other end of slot 96 in disc81, whereupon rotation of disc 89 will be stopped and in the position inwhich the notch will be in alignment with notch 83 and seeker 19.

Upon removal of the nozzle from lever 69, the latter may be lifted todisengage arm 1I frOm lug 13, and upon further lifting of the lever 63,the seeker will enter the notches 83 and 85, and the clevis I01 andsleeve I99 will be raised with respect to the rod II3. Spring I2I holdsthe lever in the raised position.

As the seeker is raised the cam also is raised, and its edge I contactsthe end I93 of pawl 99 and disengages the pawl from notch I9I to releasedisc 81, which, under action of spring 93, moves sufficiently to preventreengagement of notch NH and pawl 99 upon return of the lever 63 tonormal position. This is possible because the notches 83 and 85 arewider than the seeker 19.

The pump is now conditioned for starting the motor and this isaccomplished by pulling on the hose against the tension of spring IS.The bracket 33 moves with the reel in a counterclockwise direction(Figure 1) and frictionally drives the lever 43 in the same directionthrough the friction arrangement described above. The force exerted uponthe lever 43 may be varied by adjusting the castellated nut to vary thepressure of the friction elements.

The movement of the arm 43 is transmitted by link BI to lever 51 and byshaft 55 and lever 59, all of which rotate in a clockwise direction totransmit an upward thrust to the push rod H3. The movement of the rod H3is limited by the engagement of the lug II5 with the lower end of thesleeve I99. Since the switch operating rod I I9 is connected to lug I I5and to the switch arm 120, the lifting of rods H3 and II9 will rotatearm I20 in a clockwise direction (Figures 1 and 5) and close switch I9to start the motor. I When the switch is closed the pump- II will drawgasoline from the supply tank (not shown) and discharge it underpressure into the air separator I3, whence solid liquid will bedischarged into the meter 2|, sight glass 25, hose 21 and out the nozzlein the usual manner,

Should the tension on the hose be relaxed for any reason, sufiicientlyto produce appreciable slack in the hose, the spring will rotate thereel to retrieve the slack hose, and at the very first portion of theretrieving movement, the lever 43 will be rotated in a clockwisedirection, its associated linkage will be moved in directions oppositeto those described in starting the motor, and the switch I9 will beopened to stop the motor.

If this condition of theapparatusjan 'unreeling movement of the hosewill againstart the defact that as down, the seeker is withdrawn fromthe notches rotation between the reel trol linkage will be the switch l9should not of bracket 33 in place. The .may then be swung benecessary toreset the registers before dispensing can againtake place.

Such resetting is enforced byreason of the the levers 63 and 61 aremoved 83 and85 and the disc 81 moves under action of spring 93 to blockentrance of the seeker into the notches. Engagement of the seeker withthe periphery of the disc thus prevents appreciable lift of lever 63,and consequently of sleeve I09,

with the result that the rod H3 cannot be lifted high enough, underaction of the friction mechanism, to effect closure of the motor switchl9. Any reeling or unreelin-g of the hose will thus be ineffective tooperate the unit and the relative and lever 43 of the conpermitted bythe slipping of the frictionclutch.

Applicant desires to point out that the initial yielding and retrievingmovements of the hose reel, when the control lever has been raised,effeet the correlated operation of the motor switch; and the retrievingaction is automatic so that if the hose is dropped or released for anyreason, the motor andpump will be shut down. V

It should also be noted that if, for any reason, be operated to stop themotor upon return of the hose to the reel, the

operator will be able to positively open the switch by bringing thenozzle support to the nozzle receiving position. This result isattainable because as soon as the lug H5 is engaged by the sleeve I09,there is a positive thrust connection between levers 63 and 6! thru rodH9 to the switch lever I20 in th direction required to open the switch.

The removable sector of the reel is provided to enable a service man toreach the hose connection at the core of the reel. To render thisconnection accessible it is necessary to remove the two screws whichhold the sector in place and to loo-sen the screw which holds the otherend bracket and linkage down about the latter screw as a pivot and therewill then be sufiicient room to permit removal of the removable sector.Of

course, all three of the screws may be removed if desired but this isnot strictly necessary.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in theforrn, constructionand arrangement of partsyand accordingly,

vice movable to different positions to start or stop the flow-of liquidin said line, means connecting said storing mechanism with said controldevice to transmit motion thereto as said storing mechanism moves, anozzle support mounted for movement to and from nozzle supportingposition, means, associated with said nozzle support, constructed andarranged to prevent movement of said control device when said supportoccupies its supporting position, a resettable register, means forresetting said register to zero applicant does not desire to be limitedto the specific construction Y venting means.

storing mechanism indicating position, means to prevent movement of saidnozzle support from'supporting position and means operable by saidresetting means after resetting is completed for withdrawin said preahose storing mechanism mounted for move.-

ment to yield or retrieve said hose, a control device movable todifferent positions to start or stop the flow of liquid in said line,means connecting said storing mechanism with said con' v trol device totransmit motion thereto as said storing mechanism moves, said connectingmeans comprising a continuously engaged friction clutch. v

3. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a liquid flow line terminating in ahose and nozzle, means for producing a flow of liquid in said line, ahose mounted for movement to yield or retrieve said hose, a controldevice movable to different positions to start or stopthe flow of liquidin said line, means connecting said storing mechanism with said controldevice to transmit motion thereto as said storing mechanism moves. saidconnecting means comprising a crank, a friction clutch connected to becon: tinuously driven by said storing mechanism and adapted to transmitmotion in either direction of rotation to said crank.

4. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a register, a liquid flow lineterminating in a hoseand a nozzle, means for producing a flow of liquidin said line, a hose storing mechanism mounted for movement to yieldorretrieve said hose, a control device movable to different positions tostart or stop the flow of liquid in said line, means connecting saidstoring mechanism with said control device to transmit motion thereto assaid storing mechanism moves, a nozzle support mounted for movement toand from nozzle supporting position, a register and nozzle supportinterlocking mechanism associated with; said nozzle support to controlthe operation thereof, and a lost motion connection between said nozzlesupport and connecting means, so constructed and arranged as toconnecting means when said nozzle support is in nozzle supportingposition.

5. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a liquid flow line terminating in ahoseand a nozzle, means for producing a flow of liquid in said line, ahose storing mechanism mounted for movement toyield or retrieve saidhose, a control device movable to different necting said storingmechanism with said control deviceto move said device to one or theother ofits positions assaid storing mechanism moves, a nozzle supportmounted for movement,

to and from nozzle-supporting position, a lost motion connection betweensaid connecting means and nozzle support so constructed and a'rranged asto prevent movement of said control device in a direction to start saidflow supplying flow line terminating in a hose and a nozzle,

means for producing a flow of liquid in said prevent operation of said,

positions to start or stop the flow of liquid insaid line, meansconline, a hose storing mechanism mounted for movement to yield orretrieve said hose, a control device comprising a nozzle support movableto different positions to start or stop the flow of liquid in said line,means connecting said storing mechanism with said control device totransmit motion thereto as said storing mechanism moves, a resettableregister, means for resetting said register to zero position, means forpreventing movement of said control device to start the flow of liquidand means operated by said resetting means for rendering said preventingmeans ineffective, and additional manually operable means for preventingmovement of said control device until said nozzle has been removed fromsaid support.

7. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a liquid flow line terminating in ahose and a nozzle, means for producing a flow of liquid in said line, ahose storing mechanism mounted for movement to yield or retrieve saidhose, a control device movable to difierent positions to start or stopthe 'fiow of liquid in said line, means connecting said storingmechanism with said device to transmit motion thereto as saidstoringmechanism moves, a nozzle support mounted for movement to andfrom nozzle supporting position, yieldable means for urging said nozzlesupport toward non-supporting position, latching means adapted tosupporting position, and means, associated with said nozzle support,constructed and arranged to prevent operation of said control devicewhen the support occupies said supporting position.

8. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a liquid flow line terminating in ahose and nozzle, means for producing a flow of liquid in said line, ahose storing reel mounted for movement to yield or retrieve said hose,said reel comprising a liquid passage terminating in a coupling adaptedto receive a complementary coupling on said hose, and a pair ofretaining flanges, one of said flanges having a detachable sectordisposed adjacent said coupling, a bracket mounted on both the fixed anddetachable sectors, a crank mounted on said bracket, yieldable frictionmeans for driving said crank, a control device movable to differentpositions to start and stop the flow of liquid in said line, and motiontransmitting connections between said crank control device.

9. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a liquid flow line terminating in ahose and a nozzle, means for producing a flow of liquid in said line, ahose storing mechanism mounted for movement to yield or retrieve saidhose, a control device movable to difierent positions to start or stopthe flow of liquid in said line, constantly engaged but yieldable meansconnecting said storing mechanism with said control device to hold saidsupport in nozzle 1 and said transmit motion thereto as said storingmechanism moves to yield and to retrieve said hose, a nozzle supportmounted for movement to and from nozzle supporting position, releasablemeans for locking said support in nozzle supporting position, and a lostmotion connection between said connecting means and said nozzle supportconstructed and arranged to be in a collapsed condition when saidsupport occupies its nozzle supporting position, so as to preventmovement of said control device, relative to said nozzle support, towardflow starting position when said support is locked in nozzle supportingposition and to be extended by movement of said nozzle support from itsnozzle supporting position.

10. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a liquid flow line terminating ina hose and a nozzle, means for producing a flow of liquid in said line,a hose storing mechanism mounted for movement to yield or retrieve saidhose, a control device movable to different positions to start or stopthe flow of liquid in said line, means connecting said storing mechanismwith said control device to transmit motion to said device as saidstoring mechanism moves, a nozzle support mounted for movement to andfrom nozzle supporting position, and means, associated with said nozzlesupport, constructed and arranged to prevent operation of said controldevice when said support occupies its supporting position, and anadditional means constructed and arranged to prevent operation of saidnozzle support from supporting position, a resettable register and meansactuatable as said register is reset for clearing said last namedoperation preventing means.

11. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a liquid flow line comprising ahose, a reel for storing said hose comprising a hub having a liquidpassage formed therein terminating in a hose coupling disposed adjacentthe central portion of the hub, and flanges mounted one at each end ofsaid hub on either side of said coupling, one of said flanges comprisingtwo complementary sectors, one of which is disposed adjacent saidcoupling, a crank, a support for said crank having two ends, means formounting one end of said support on said hub comprising a fasteningcommon to said support and the sector which is adjacent said coupling,means for mounting the other end of said support for pivotal movementupon withdrawal of said common fastening, and motion transmittinglinkage connected to said crank and normally disposed to obstruct accessto said last named sector and adapted to be moved from obstructingposition upon pivotal movement of said support.

CLEMENT P. GRIFFITH.

